ne of my familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favorite memories is the fun we have along the trail
during the Hocking Hills Winter Hike. Hocking Hills is scenic in
every season, but the frosted trees, giant icicles and frozen waterfalls of
winter give the place a magical feel. As we walk through the gorge, we
become so absorbed in the beauty of the landscape that we forget all about
our cold noses and tired feet. Each year, we notice something new and
different on the trail, and each time, we share a wonderful experience that
leaves a lasting impression on the entire family.
Our state parks offer so many memorable experiences for visitors, especially
children. Nature programs give kids and grown ups, alike, the opportunity
to discover something fascinating. Healthy treks on our extensive network of
trails give hikers a sense of accomplishment. Special events, like fun themed
campouts and heritage celebrations, build a satisfying sense of community
and connection among neighbors and generations.
This fall and winter, our calendar is packed with great family outings,
including fall color walks and festivals in every corner of the state, holiday
tours of Malabar Farm and Quail Hollow, the fantastic light display at
Alum Creek, and the annual winter hikes at Hocking Hills, Mohican,
Findley, and Caesar Creek.
I invite you to come out and join us. Gather your family and friends
for a fun, wholesome and memorable adventure. Whether you come for
the afternoon, for a campout, or for a getaway weekend in one of our
comfortable cottages, you can create a tradition that your family will
treasure now, and for generations.

David Payne
Chief, Ohio State Parks

Ohio State Parks

Spring / Summer 2009
Volume 15, Number 1

Contents
Table of

Contents
2

Face Offs

6

Park Spotlight - Rocky Fork

8

Naturalist Corner - On the Move

10

Park Pals - Sleepy Heads - Hibernation

12

Park Points

13

Calendar of Events

18

People in the Parks - Hueston Woods Pioneer Farm

19

Park Improvements

20

Ohio State Parks Gift Shop

To enhance the quality of
life through exceptional
outdoor recreational
experiences and sound
resource management.

EDITOR
Jean Backs
DESIGN & Illustration
Jessi Lagergren

Ohio State Parks Magazine has received national and statewide recognition, including the Magnum Opus
Bronze Award for government publications from McMurray Publishing, and the Silver Award of Excellence
for print marketing from the Ohio Parks & Recreation Association
John R. Kasich, Governor
State of Ohio

Our Mission

David Mustine, Director
Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Cover photo by Joy StClaire,
www.ohjoyphotography.com

This magazine is published by
the Ohio Department of Natural
Resources, Division of Parks and
Recreation and is available free
of charge. To be added to our
mailing list write to us at ODNR
Division of Parks and Recreation,
Magazine Mailing List, 2045
Morse Rd., Bldg. C-3, Columbus
OH 43229-6693, or see our
website, ohiostateparks.org for
other subscription options.
The ODNR is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Printed on recycled paper

Pony Tale
t sounds like a lark - sneaking into the enemy’s camp at night
and spiriting away their horses without getting caught - and then
sleeping with one eye open, in case your adversary comes to steal
them back. On the Ohio frontier, though, horse snatching was a
deadly serious cat and mouse game.

I

The rich hunting grounds framed by the lush East Fork, Paint Creek
and Rocky Fork valleys provided the ideal backdrop for Native
American encampments organized around the quest for sustenance
and shelter. Ordinarily, these were relatively peaceful places.
However, one gathering of Shawnee warriors in March 1792 was not
so innocent. This Shawnee camp (west of Rocky Fork State Park)
was assembled after returning from a horse stealing mission amid
the pioneer settlements in Mason County, Kentucky.
A party of 36 frontiersmen, led by the legendary hero Simon Kenton,
was dispatched to recover the precious horses. The experienced
frontier scouts tracked the equally skilled Indian marauders across
2

the Ohio River. However, miserable March weather got the best of
several of Kenton's party, and they turned back, leaving Kenton with
just two dozen men to face an unknown number of Indians.
As they approached within a few miles of the Shawnee camp, Kenton
sensed that he was significantly outnumbered, and ordered his men
to stay hidden until they could pounce under cover of darkness.
Kenton’s offensive strategy was to divide into three groups; disperse
to the right, left and center of the Indian camp; and attack simultaneously on Kenton’s signal using the code word “Boone.” Before the
plan could be executed, though, one of the less seasoned woodsmen
was startled by an Indian who rose from his bedroll to stir the
campfire, and he impulsively fired his gun. Chaos ensued as more
shots rang out, and Kenton's shouts of “Boone” were echoed by the
Indians, who were also well acquainted with the iconic frontiersman.
At first, Kenton hoped to take advantage of the general confusion,
assuming that the Indians would panic and hastily retreat across the

Ohio State Parks

stream behind their camp. Instead, the Shawnee warriors held their
ground and raised their war clubs, killing one of Kenton’s party.
After a several minutes of furious fighting, Kenton ordered his men
to retreat into the moonless, drizzling night. The Indians pursued
them through the woods until daybreak. All of the Kentuckians
escaped except for Alexander McIntyre, who was taken prisoner and
returned to the camp.
The failure of Kenton’s plan was due, in part, to the lack of one
crucial piece of intelligence – that the Indians were led by the brave
and brilliant Shawnee chief, Tecumseh, who alone could exercise
the authority and enforce the discipline necessary to withstand a
sneak attack. Although Tecumseh’s leadership was undeniably
effective during the attack, he also experienced a failure of sorts the
following day. The Indians who were assigned to guard the prisoner,
Alexander McIntyre, flaunted Tecumseh’s rule against cruelty to
prisoners. When Tecumseh was away from the camp, the guards
killed McIntyre while he was tied up and helpless.
After all the drama of this frontier face-off, it’s difficult to pick a clear
winner. Although he was outnumbered, Kenton managed to inflict
more casualties on the Shawnee. Tecumseh prevented the frontiersmen from stealing back the horses, although it cost 14 human lives,
along with a number of the horses that ran off in the skirmish.
Cold Case
oo often, misunderstandings on the frontier resulted in needless
tragedies. The life and death of the Shawnee chief Waw-wila-way is a prime example. Unlike many of his contemporaries,
including Tecumseh, Waw-wil-a-way viewed the settlers as his allies,
and he welcomed the pioneers to live peacefully alongside him, his
wife and two sons on Hardin Creek (near Paint Creek State Park).

T

Still, many of the newcomers mistrusted any native American, and
rumors of an Indian uprising spread like wildfire in the late 1790s
and early 1800s. The tension escalated when the scalped corpse
of an influential officer in the state militia, Captain Herrod, was
discovered near his doorstep. Nervous settlers were quick to assume
that Indians were responsible for the killing. In truth, it was more
likely that a white rival of Herrod’s had done the deed, hoping to
take Herrod’s place in the militia.
In 1803, as the controversy over the unsolved murder smoldered,
Waw-wil-a-way set out on foot for a 15-mile trek to a trading post for
supplies. On the way, he encountered his neighbor, David Wolfe, and
two companions, Williams and Ferguson, on horseback. Waw-wila-way extended a cordial greeting, but the exchange quickly became
uncomfortable. Wolfe dismounted from his horse and asked Wawwil-a-way pointedly if the Indians had declared war on their white
neighbors. Waw-wil-a-way insisted that the Indians considered the
settlers to be their brothers, and that relations remained friendly. Next,
Wolfe asked the chief if he was aware that Indians had killed Captain
Herrod. Taken aback at the news and the accusation, Waw-wil-a-way
replied honestly that perhaps too much whiskey may have resulted in a
quarrel, or that a white man may have had reason to kill Herrod.
Seemingly satisfied, Wolfe returned to his companions and waved
goodbye. As Waw-wil-a-way turned to leave, Wolfe raised his rifle
and shot him through the back. Stunned and bleeding, Waw-wil-away spun around and took aim at Wolfe with his own rifle. Wolfe
dodged the bullet, but Waw-wil-a-way managed to fire another shot
squarely at Williams, toppling him dead from his horse.

With his strength fading, Waw-wil-a-way lunged forward with
his scalping knife, and sunk it into Wolfe’s thigh. Wolfe retaliated with a thrust of his own knife into Waw-wil-a-way’s chest.
Ferguson stepped into the tussle to assist Wolfe. Incredibly,
despite two mortal wounds, Waw-wil-a-way rose up, grabbed
Wolfe’s rifle, and cracked Ferguson’s skull with the butt end.
Without a word, Waw-wil-a-way stumbled away from the bloody
scene, and plunged face first into a field of wildflowers, where he
breathed his last. Wolfe knew that, according to Shawnee tradition,
Waw-wil-a-way’s sons were obliged to seek revenge for their father’s
death. Wolfe fled the Paint Creek valley hoping to avoid them.
After he was safely hidden away, Wolfe sent a representative to
talk to the bereaved brothers and persuade them to spare his life
in exchange for a horse, bridle, saddle and rifle for each of them.
Like their father, Waw-wil-a-way’s sons were big hearted and
trusting. They agreed to Wolfe’s proposal, and a public gathering
was arranged for the trade and pardon.
Hundreds of Shawnees and curious settlers trekked to the
Shawnee village at Old Town (west of present day Chillicothe) for
the ceremony. The sons of Waw-wil-a-way gave a moving speech,
calling on the Great Spirit to symbolically accept the blood and
life of Wolfe in exchange for their beloved father. Then, they took
Wolfe by the hand, called him “brother,” and smoked the peace
pipe with him as a tearful audience looked on.
With regard to the murder of Captain Herrod, the killer was
never identified and justice was never served. In the heartbreaking face-off between Waw-wil-a-way and David Wolfe, however,
the final outcome was a rare and shining example of mercy and
forgiveness on the often brutal and unforgiving frontier.
Man versus Beast
n 1807, a plague of sorts scampered across southern Ohio. It
was a squirrel stampede that stretched for miles, with furry
gray heads bobbing and fluffy tails waving over every inch of
ground, undeterred by any obstacle. The squirrels ran up and over
pioneer houses, slogged through streams, paddled across lakes, and
plowed through farm fields without yielding. Along the way, they
devoured the corn crop, leaving famine in their wake.

I

The squirrel herd continued at its feverish pace until it reached
the banks of the Ohio River. As squirrel after squirrel plopped
in the water, many were carried away by the current, while others
survived by scrambling over the backs of the squirrels that had
plunged in ahead of them.
The cause of the strange migration was mysterious, but its effect was
unquestionably devastating. Hundreds of settlers who had grown
dependent on the corn they raised went hungry that winter. The
problem was so severe and widespread that the Ohio General
Assembly enacted a law requiring that each
taxpayer submit between 10 and 100 squirrel
scalps, along with their county taxes.
It appeared that “man” might win
this face-off, but nature intervened.
The “Act to Encourage the Killing of
Squirrels” was repealed and the furry little
outlaws were pardoned the following year, after the
harsh winter curbed their population.

Sober Saga
heir ladylike words barely concealed their outrage at the
state of affairs in Greenfield. Following the tragic death of
an innocent passerby who caught a stray bullet flying through the
air during a whiskey-soaked brawl at Newbeck’s Saloon, the ladies
of Greenfield (near Paint Creek State Park) decided it was time to
rescue the upstanding character of their hometown.

T

True to their word, a procession of indignant women marched into
the saloon, and demanded that the proprietor surrender the liquor.
When their request was denied, the ladies unleashed a furious
assault on the drinking establishment. They produced hatchets,
axes and mallets from behind their petticoats and began to demolish
the building and its contents. As they smashed the crocks and
barrels, liquor splashed into the street and flowed down the gutters.
Emboldened by their victory, the ladies marched on to two other
local saloons and three drug stores that sold intoxicating concoctions, and insisted that the owners hand over the alcohol. Each one
refused, so the angry mob seized the liquor and dumped it.
An exasperated drug store owner insisted that the ladies be arrested,
and pressed criminal charges against them. A sympathetic grand
jury found no criminal wrongdoing, and the merchant was forced to
settle for damages.
In 1873, the ladies of neighboring Hillsboro (near Rocky Fork State
Park) started their own temperance campaign, but they employed a different tactic. Rather than threats and axes, the Hillsboro crusaders tried
hymns and prayers to persuade the saloon owners and patrons to change
their ways. Some of the customers simply ignored the ladies, but one
trio of young men ran red-faced from the bar when they recognized their
mother, sister and future mother-in-law among the singing activists.
Eventually, the sober serenades deterred customers, and one angry
saloon owner retaliated with a law suit for trespass and damages.
After a year long legal battle, the saloon owner received a nominal
award of $5, but the moral victory belonged to the ladies of Hillsboro.

Two Faces of Robert McKimie
y all accounts, Robert McKimie was a lively, charming boy
whose tousled red hair suited his warm and carefree disposition.
Growing up in and around the Highland County town of Rainsboro
(near Rocky Fork State Park) under the watchful eye of his aunt, Robert
was known amongst the adults for his kindness and friendliness, and
popular with his friends for instigating fun and boyhood mischief. He
loved exploring the landscape of his childhood, from the sun dappled
banks of Rocky Fork to the dark and mysterious Seven Caves.

B

In 1869, at the tender age of 14, Robert packed up his few possessions
and set out for Columbus to join the army, where he was assigned to a
cavalry unit in Texas. Two years later, Robert sent his aunt a generous
gift of $50 tucked inside a letter explaining that he had left the army
and joined a prosperous cattle raising business in Kansas. He promised to return to Rainsboro to settle down after building his fortune.
True to his word, Robert returned home in September 1877 with
enough cash to buy a home, start a dry goods business, and court
the town’s heartthrob, Clara Ferguson. Robert and Clara married,
and started a promising new life together. Robert enjoyed instant
success as a merchant and a local celebrity. He delighted in showing
off his wealth and entertaining customers and neighbors late into the
night with colorful stories of his travels in the American West.
Robert’s love for the limelight proved to be his undoing. His
neighbors were so impressed with Robert that they shared his
larger-than-life tales with relatives and friends beyond Ohio’s
borders. Eventually, the amusing anecdotes found more skeptical,
faraway audiences who were immune from Robert’s charms. One
astute listener shared his hunch that the rich and famous redhead
from Rainsboro had been living a double life as the infamous
outlaw known as “Little Reddy” in Texas. The legendary sheriff of
Deadwood South Dakota, Seth Bullock, took the tip and rode herd
to Ohio to test the theory of Little Reddy’s alias.
Bullock’s investigation uncovered an astounding story. The criminal
Bullock was pursuing was an army deserter who started his life of
violent crime by stealing a horse and shooting down its rider. He was
caught and sent to the Utah penitentiary for the murder, but escaped
after a year by brutally assaulting a guard with an iron bar. Next,
he joined Sam Bass and his newly organized gang of stagecoach robbers. He nearly botched their first hold-up by impulsively shooting
the stagecoach driver before they caught up to the coach. He was
such a cold-hearted loose cannon that the gang kicked him out. He
continued to plunder and terrorize travelers through the Black Hills
for several months until he, and his ill-gotten gains, disappeared.
Bullock quickly concluded that Robert McKimie was indeed Little
Reddy, and tossed him in the county jail in January 1878 for robbery
and murder. Robert’s adoring wife and loyal friends protested, but
Robert wasn’t worried. When Highland County Sheriff Newell left
town and left his father in charge of the jail for the night, Robert seized
the opportunity to make a bold escape. As the old man approached
his cell, Robert sprang at him and flew out the door, but not before the
elder Newell could fire his pistol at the fleeing felon, and shoot clean
through the third finger of Robert’s right hand.
For weeks, Robert hid out in the barns, haylofts and homes of his
friends, staying just one step ahead of the lawmen. He dyed his hair
black, sported a false moustache, and hopped a train for Virginia.

4

Ohio State Parks

Face Offs
Clara joined him on the lam, and together they slipped further away,
from North Carolina to Georgia, and finally to Bermuda. They lived
there in luxury for several months until their money was all spent, and
Robert was arrested for an unpaid hotel bill. After about six weeks,
Robert was released from the Nassau jail and sent to New York to
make amends and earn the money for Clara’s ticket home.
While Clara stewed alone in Bermuda, Robert resumed his
old habits. He stripped an elderly man of his life savings
to rescue Clara from Nassau, and schemed in secret as
they made their way home to Ohio. Back in Highland
County, Robert assembled a gang of his faithful friends, and
convinced them to join him on a crime spree. They held up
banks, looted stores, broke into homes, and resorted to torture,
if need be, to persuade terrified residents to surrender their hidden
stashes of cash and valuables. Fear and fury spread through Rainsboro,
nearby communities, and neighboring counties as the robberies and
assaults continued.
Now that Robert had shown his hometown his true colors, he could
no longer hide in plain sight. He returned to his boyhood haunt, the
Seven Caves, and chose a remote spot (still known as McKimie’s Cave)
to serve as his hideout. Robert’s partners in crime were not as skilled
at evading capture, however. A well-known detective from Springfield,
John T. Norris, tracked down Robert’s accomplices one by one and
tossed them in jail. The men refused to cooperate with Norris’ investigation, so Norris interrogated their wives, hoping to tweak a conscience.
While Norris listened to the confession of a nervous spouse who was
feeling guilty about enjoying her neighbor’s stolen silver, smoke was
seen rising suspiciously from the chimney of her vacant home.
Robert had brazenly assumed he could enjoy a soft bed and hot meal in
his friends’ empty cabin without being detected, but vigilant neighbors
raised the alert that the outlaw could be hiding out there. A posse of

more than 100 angry citizens, robbery victims and law enforcement
officers swarmed the cabin and demanded that Robert surrender. True
to form, Robert managed to hold the crowd at bay and nearly slip away
with a hostage, until sharpshooters grazed his face and chest. Back
in the Highland County jail awaiting trial, Robert plotted yet
another escape, but was foiled. He was convicted of a string
of robberies, and served out his entire 14 year sentence in the
Ohio State Penitentiary in Columbus.
After his release from prison, Robert headed back to the
Black Hills. From there, the facts about Robert’s later life
grow hazy. Among Robert’s contemporaries in Rainsboro,
many were relieved that his reign of terror had ended for good,
while others grew nostalgic for the romance of the genuine
Wild West desperado in their midst. Rumors persisted that the
mysterious two-faced man changed his identity once again, reformed
his wicked ways, and led a comfortable and respectable life as a wealthy
businessman and Sunday school teacher in the West. A local legend
claimed that he left behind a stash of loot in McKimie’s Cave, which has
never been found.
The face-off between good and evil in a single soul made a lasting
impact on an entire community. Whether the real Robert McKimie
was the charming boy and kind old man that some befriended, or
the daring bandit that others despised, he was truly the colorful main
character in one of the most bizarre chapters in southwest Ohio history.
- Jean Backs, Editor

Enjoy our Bed and Breakfast Package. From just $109.*
In the midst of Ohio’s Wine Country and overlooking Lake Erie,
The Lodge at Geneva offers a variety of packages and seasonal
rates for all travel needs. Family getaways, romantic escapes and
business meetings come to life near local wineries, covered bridges
and Geneva State Park’s beach, marina and hiking trails.

he Rocky Fork region sits at the edge of the Appalachian
plateau, along the margin of the prehistoric glaciers that leveled
western Ohio, and left the rugged topography of southeastern Ohio
untouched. The landscape is well drained by ancient networks of
robust streams including Rocky Fork Creek, Clear Creek, Paint
Creek, and Rattlesnake Creek. As the last glacier crept toward
the area 12,000 years ago, it blocked the flow of Rocky Fork
Creek. The stream reversed direction, and the powerful gush sliced
through the stream bed, then carved the dramatic gorge through
the limestone bedrock. The roiling water scoured the gorge walls,
leaving them pock marked with caves and rock overhangs.
Beneath the shallow soils of Highland County, the persistent and subtle
influence of water sculpted the unique geology of the area to create
hidden wonders. This area boasts
Ohio’s highest concentration of
karst terrain, characterized by easily
eroded dolomite limestone bedrock
lying near the surface, where
it is prone to quick and severe
weathering. Continuous exposure
to rainwater tinged with acidity
weakened and gradually dissolved
the high pH limestone, forming
caverns, caves and sinkholes.
Evidence of water’s work as a
creative agent abounds in the
spectacular Seven Caves, near the
park. The amazing complex of
roomy caverns, snug grottos and
winding dark passages is punctuated with glossy stalactites hanging
from the ceiling and stalagmites jutting from the floor. Incredibly,
these rock hard formations are the result of the trickling of mineral
infused water, dripping steadily over millennia.
6

Native Americans found the area hospitable as productive hunting
grounds, a comfortable camp and a convenient travel route. They
also found deep spiritual significance here, as the fascinating Fort
Hill earthwork crafted by the Hopewell culture attests.
Pioneers were also attracted to the lush valley, and quickly put the
abundance of water to work. Over the course of the 19th century,
at least six different mills were built on Rocky Fork Creek to harness
the power of swiftly flowing water to grind grain, saw logs, card
wool and weave cloth.
Had railroad enthusiast Albert E. Boone realized his goal, nearby
Rainsboro might have become a boomtown, and the Rocky Fork
valley could have been a railroad hub rather than a vacationer’s
mecca. Boone envisioned a rail line, the Black Diamond, chugging
along from the Ohio River valley
to the East Coast laden with
lumber, flour, wool and blankets
produced by local mills. The
Rocky Fork area was surveyed in
1897 for the project, and many
residents were giddy with the
promise of greater prosperity. A
railroad depot, stockyard and
telegraph office were slated for
Rainsboro, and a new town to
be called Lodore was planned
around McCoppin’s Mill on the
banks of Rocky Fork Creek. Like
many aspiring railroad companies
of the era, though, Black
Diamond never moved beyond the planning phase to the costly
work of laying track, and Boone’s dream fizzled.
Another turn-of-the-century visionary, Col. Walter H. Hutchins of
Cincinnati, saw a very different future for Rocky Fork. Hutchins pic-

Ohio State Parks

Park Spotlight
The Rocky Fork region’s unique natural
features provide ideal habitat for unusual flora
and fauna. The moist, shady limestone cliffs
are sprinkled with lovely Sullivantia, a very
rare wildflower in Ohio, which blooms in the
gorge in mid-summer. Nearby, the chalky
white limestone outcroppings along the Paint
Creek lakeshore are speckled with the nests of
cliff swallows.
Amid these stunning natural assets, Rocky
Fork State Park offers outstanding recreational
facilities far beyond anything Col. Hutchins
could have imagined. Today, the 1,384-acre
lake is a boater’s paradise, offering six boat
launch ramps in every corner of the lake, more
than 600 boat docks for seasonal rental, a fullservice marina, and designated boat camping
and boat swimming areas. There are no limits
on horsepower, so speed boaters can have a
blast in the open zones, while paddlers explore
the peaceful coves and fingers.
tured a sparkling lake nestled in the emerald forest of the Rocky Fork
valley. With the population of Cincinnati hurtling past 300,000,
Hutchins understood that city weary souls craved a summertime
escape where they could swim, boat and fish. He was a frequent visitor to Rocky Fork and the Seven Caves, and was impressed with their
potential as tourist attractions. To enhance the recreation offerings
in the area, Hutchins proposed building a dam near McCoppin’s
Mill, and transforming a stretch of the tumbling waters of Rocky
Fork Creek into a placid lake surrounded by the scenic valley.
Hutchins spent decades advocating for his dream, which finally
became reality as the Ohio Division of Conservation (precursor
to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources) began purchasing
property along Rocky Fork Creek in the 1940s. Work began on
construction of the dam near historic McCoppin’s Mill in 1949, and
Rocky Fork was designated as an Ohio State Park the
following year. The lake finally took shape after the
dam was completed in 1953.

The popular family campground offers 172
campsites, including 100 electric sites, 27 non-electric sites, and a generous 45 full-hookup sites, offering sewer and water service in addition
to electricity. Fun extras for campers include a miniature golf course,
volleyball and basketball courts, a nature center, and dozens of nature
programs and theme campouts.
The park offers plenty more to entertain overnight guests as well as
afternoon visitors. Along the lakeshore, there are shady picnic areas,
two sun drenched swimming beaches, and a wheelchair accessible
fishing pier. The 18-hole disc golf course at the South Beach Area
hosts tournaments from time to time, as well as casual players any
time. Groups looking for an appealing venue for their special event
can choose from outdoorsy picnic shelters, or indoor comfort in
the roomy activity center, complete with heat, A/C, a fireplace and
fully-equipped kitchen.

More than a dozen years ago, a 90-acre wetland was
established in a quiet cove where the waters of Rocky
Fork Creek enter the west end of the lake. Since the
lake was created, sediment carried by the stream’s swift
current had been piling up in the lake and clogging the
navigation channel. Working in harmony with nature,
lake managers used the unwanted sediment to build
earthen levees in the cove to create a shallow backwater
where the incoming sediment could drop. Then, they
molded more of the dredged sediment into peaks,
valleys, and hummocks in the lake bed where wetland
plants could get a foothold. Today the wetland is as
beautiful as it is functional, teeming with a diversity of
water loving plants and attracting a variety of resident
birds, including bald eagles, and migratory waterfowl,
such as loons and roseate spoonbills.

Ohio State Parks

7

Naturalist Corner

Naturalist Corner

T

he reasons why animals migrate – more food, better climate, and
safer places to raise young – may seem obvious, but how they do
it is an enduring mystery.
Bird banding projects have demonstrated again and again that, from
generation to generation, birds migrate to the precise locations that
their ancestors selected. For many species, the journey is so well
orchestrated that the traveling birds can be found at the same spot
on the map, on the same day, from year to year.
Researchers have discovered that the gradual shortening of the length
of day as fall approaches triggers hormonal changes in birds that tell
them that it’s time take flight. It makes sense that this type of reliable
external cue would signal when to go, but how do they know where
to go? And how do birds manage to not get lost when winging their
way across vast expanses of open ocean or unbroken forest?
It might be in their DNA. Some young songbirds take their maiden
migration flight by themselves, and they still make a beeline to the
same wintering grounds their parents enjoyed. The youngsters are not
just following the flock, so essential data about the direction and distance of their migratory route must be programmed into their genes.
Birds appear to be especially sensitive to the Earth’s magnetic field,
and those tiny bird brains come equipped with a compass to point
them in the right direction. Some land and water based creatures,
from salamanders to salmon, also respond to the subtle pull of the
magnetic field. Starlings study how the sun moves across the sky
during the day to plan their route, and stargazing mallards align
their flight with the North Star.
Many migrants are so singleminded, they don’t stop to rest
or eat until they reach their
final destination. Adaptations
in their bodies and behaviors
facilitate these amazing feats of
endurance. Hollow bones, special stores of fat, and shrinking
livers and intestines help birds
stay airborne and conserve precious energy. For some birds,
there is safety and comfort in
numbers. The familiar “V”
formation adopted by migrating
waterfowl helps reduce wind
resistance, and the individuals
8

take turns leading the flock so no one gets too tired. Other birds travel
in disorderly clusters to confuse and discourage predators.
Hummingbirds are incredible creatures in many respects, and their
migration is no exception. Before the summer ends, the tiny ruby
throated hummingbird guzzles so much nectar and slurps so many
insects that it packs on more than two grams of fat, nearly doubling
its body weight. It needs all the energy it can muster for each leg of
its solo voyage, from the 20-mile-a-day jaunts over the fields, forests
and cities of the eastern U.S., to the 500-mile non-stop flight across
the Gulf of Mexico. When the hummingbirds return from southern
Mexico in the spring, they stagger their departure dates over several
weeks to prevent possible catastrophic losses to the species if severe
weather strikes during their Gulf crossing.
Not all winged migrants are birds. Each summer, three or four generations of monarch butterflies hatch, feed, breed and die within four
to six weeks. However, the last batch of monarch butterflies to hatch
in the early fall lives six to eight months, so that they can make an
epic journey. These fearless fliers flutter all the way to sunny central
Mexico where they congregate for the winter amid the oyamel trees.
As spring returns up north, this migrant generation of monarchs is in
the mood to breed. They take wing again, this time heading north
in search of the blooming milkweed that will provide the perfect
nursery for hungry monarch caterpillars.
Some migrations simply defy our understanding. The puzzling
squirrel stampede described in “Face Offs” (page 3) was a recurring
event in the early 1800s. For unknown reasons, mass migrations
of gray squirrels occurred in five year cycles for several decades,
according to historical reports.
Each time, significant numbers of the squirrels drowned
in streams in their frenzied
march. The squirrels seemed
fat and healthy, and the forests
provided an abundance of
mast, so food did not appear
to be the motivating factor.
We may never know what
caused each exodus, but
they finally ended as Ohio’s
landscape was altered forever
by the unstoppable progress of
a state on the move.

With beautiful sights to see,
seasonal changes to feel and the
aromas of crackling campfires,
hot cocoa and holiday treats,
your senses will awaken with
a stay at an Ohio State Park
Lodge. During these
cooler months, we’re
tempting your taste
buds with...

ohiostateparklodges.com • 800.282.7275
Rates shown do not include tax. Offers not available with other discounts, packages or group rooms.
Subject to availability. Some blackout dates apply.

Ohio State Parks

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Ohio State Parks

Ohio State Parks

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park Points
This year, get a strong start
on keeping your New Year’s
resolution to get fit!

So Many Parks to Enjoy...

G

etting outdoors and getting some exercise
can be daunting on a frosty winter day, if you
head out on your own. There’s fun in numbers,
so why not join the hundreds (even thousands) of
hikers who brave the cold to stretch their legs and
enjoy spectacular scenery on guided treks at our
state parks? See the calendar of events for dates
and details. Hiking with friends and family, any
season of the year, is a healthy habit, and we offer
more than 1,000 miles of trails in all lengths and
levels of difficulty to suit your hiking group.

Keep earning your rewards!

B

e sure to use your Ohio State Parks Rewards
Card when making a reservation or registering for a campsite or getaway rental at any of our
state parks, or reserving a cottage at Buck Creek,
Cowan Lake, Dillon, Hocking Hills, Lake Hope,
Mohican, Pike Lake or Pymatuning. You can also
earn rewards points for shelter house rentals,
rounds of golf, and purchases from state park
camp stores. Rewards points add up fast, so keep
tabs on your account balance on our website,
ohiostateparks.org! Don’t have an Ohio
State Parks Rewards Card? Sign up today on our
website, or by calling 1-866-644-6727.

Looking for holiday gift ideas?

A

n Ohio State Parks gift card is a great choice
for family, friends, neighbors, business
associates, even door prizes for holiday parties.
The gift cards are available in any denomination,
and can be used for all kinds of outdoor fun in
our state parks, including camping and getaway
rentals, cottage or lodge stays, and rounds of golf.
It’s easy and convenient to purchase your gift
cards on-line from our website, ohiostateparks.
org, in person at most state park offices, or by
calling toll-free 1-866-644-6727.

12

Spruce up your vehicle, and sport
your support for our state parks
and state nature preserves!

N

ext time you renew your license plates, pick
a nature preserve or state park plate design.
A portion of the license plate fee goes to support
programs at Ohio’s most amazing natural places.
See our website, ohiostateparks.org, for more
information.

Want to give yourself a little
boost while preparing your taxes?

C

onsider donating a portion of your Ohio
income tax return to the Natural Areas check
off fund. It’s as easy as marking the “natural
areas and endangered species fund” check off box
on your 1040 form, and writing in the amount you
want to give - every little bit helps!

Ohio State Parks

Green Tip:

S

till burning those old-fashioned incandescent
light bulbs? Take a tip from our state parks,
and use energy and cost efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs, instead. Compact fluorescent
bulbs are 5 times more efficient than incandescent
bulbs, and cost about one-third as much per hour
burned. On average, you can save $40 in electricity costs and 691 pounds of carbon dioxide over
the 10,000 hour life of your compact fluorescent
bulb. Compact fluorescent bulbs contain a trace
of mercury, so be sure to recycle them when they
finally burn out. (Popular home improvement
chain stores offer recycling programs).
Nifty new LED lights are even more efficient.
Their intensely bright, tiny bulbs make great
lightweight flashlights for greener camping!

Winter Bird Hike, Hueston Woods (SW) - Jan 21, 10 AM at the nature center.
Hike park trails & learn the art of birding from an expert. (513) 524-4250.
Can You Name a Tree By its Bark?, Van Buren (NW) - Jan. 22, 2 PM
at shelterhouse #3. Learn how to identify a tree in the winter by its bark, then
head out on a trail to test your skills. (419) 832-7662.

he Oxford Museum Association is tireless in its quest to preserve
history in and around Hueston Woods State Park. The Museum
Association operates the parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pioneer farm, and brings history to
life with programs and special events that provide modern day park
visitors with delightfully old-fashioned experiences.
The heart of the pioneer farm is the historic Doty Homestead, at the
center of the former Doty Settlement. At one time, this bustling
little hamlet featured a church and cemetery, a one-room school, a
blacksmith shop, a furniture shop, a distillery, and a creekside sawmill and fulling mill, where homespun cloth was prepared to make
fabric for clothing and home goods. Although the settlement was
named after the Doty family, the area was first claimed by Joseph
Morris in the early 1830s.
Joseph Morris and
his family weathered
their first few seasons in rural Oxford
Township in a
crude dugout, until
Morris completed
the sturdy two-story
brick home that still
stands today. After
moving in, Morris
made a comfortable
living selling his
homemade whiskey
in Cincinnati, and
returning home
with a cart full of
groceries to sell
in the town of
Oxford, five miles
down the road. A
few years later,
though, Morris lost
his fortune in the
Panic of 1837. He
was compelled to sell his home and farm, which were eventually
purchased by his brother-in-law, Samuel Doty. Generations of the
Doty family remained at the farm for more than 50 years.
The pioneer farm became part of Hueston Woods in the 1950s.
Initially, the old brick home served as the park office and the nearby
barn provided a roomy outbuilding for park equipment. Meanwhile,
history buffs in nearby Oxford were establishing the Oxford
Museum Association to protect the areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s considerable historic treasures. By 1959, the park staff
had settled into a new office,
and the Museum Association
had stepped up to lease the
pioneer farm from
the park and open it to the
public as a museum and interpretive center.
18

In the early years, apple butter making demonstrations were held
occasionally at the pioneer farm as part of the Museum Associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
mission to foster awareness and appreciation of 19th century rural
and small town life. The events were so popular that a new tradition, the annual Apple Butter
Festival, was initiated in 1965.
The following summer, the
annual Arts & Crafts Show
got its start. The Apple Butter
Festival celebrates it 46th
anniversary this fall (see the
calendar of events for details).
In 1980, the pioneer farm
experienced a setback when
the original barn and the
artifacts inside it were lost to
fire. Fortunately, there was an
1840s-vintage barn available
at Sycamore State Park, west
of Dayton. With help and
expertise from the Museum
Association, professional barn
restorers, and community
volunteers, the state park staff carefully disassembled the Sycamore
barn and reconstructed it on the Hueston Woods pioneer farm site.
Another fascinating piece of history near the pioneer farm, the old
Doty Settlement cemetery, was revived in 2004. The tombstones,
many of which date back to the 1850s, had toppled, and the
woods had encroached on the burial plots over time. The Museum
Association and the
Oxford Township
Trustees teamed up
to undertake the
ambitious project to
restore the cemetery
to its original beauty
and dignity.

Ohio State Parks

The most recent addition to the pioneer
farm ties the rural

People in the parks

farmstead to the nearby town of Oxford, literally and symbolically.
In late 2007, the entire community rallied to rescue a charming
late 1800s-era house slated for demolition to make way for a new
apartment building. From 1890 until 1962, the pretty Italianate
building dubbed the “Township House” had served as a local
government meeting space and the township clerk’s office. For the
following 45 years, the building housed a variety of small businesses
until investors acquired the site for the apartment project. The new
owners recognized the significance of the building, and they offered
to help the Museum Association relocate the old Township House to
a suitable spot at the pioneer farm. On a snowy December day, the

house was lifted
onto a trailer and
paraded through
town to its new
home in the countryside, followed
by a procession
of volunteers
and curious
onlookers. Today,
the Township
House serves as a
museum featuring
artifacts and
exhibits of Oxford
Township’s past,
as well as Hueston
Woods State Park
history.
Thanks to the
Oxford Museum
Association’s hard
working and dedicated guardians
of the past, the Hueston Woods pioneer farm will remain a vibrant
monument to Ohio’s heritage far into the future.

Park Improvements

A

t Hocking Hills, work has started on realignment of a one-mile
section of State Route 664 at the Old Man’s Cave area. For
Park Pals answers (continued from page 11)
decades, park visitors had to walk across the state highway which
separated the large parking lot from the park entrance at this popular
Why hibernate?
area. The highway will be relocated to the north, behind the parking
lot, creating a safe entrance with a new visitor plaza that will serve
hibernate
as a focal point for guests arriving at the park. This major park
improvement was made possible with the generous assistance of two
insulation
key partners, the Ohio Department of Transportation and the Friends
temperature
of Hocking
Hills State
Park. Additional facilities planned for future
Park
Improvements
construction
an A-frame
bridge to
and
trail. at East Fork’s campground to provide 50-amp service
burrow
Work include
is wrapping
up on upgrades
theaccessible
electric hookups
at most sites. At Burr Oak’s campground,
behind-the-scenes
improvements
over
the winter,
of a new dump station and replacement
of sewer lines, mean that campers can enjoy
Construction
work is underway
on a new
dining
lodgeincluding
at Lake construction
Hope
sleeping
shiny new drinking fountains and waste drains this spring.
to replace the historic stone and timber structure that was destroyed
Day
folks The
who design
like no-frills
camping,
Salt Fork
a greatall
new
by fire inFor
2006.
for the
new dining
lodgehas
features
of spot to pitch a tent. A former picnic area has been transformed into a rustic campground
woodsy plus
sites.environmentally
Campers must register
at the main campground office before setting up their equipment.
the rusticoffering
charmbeautiful
of the original,
sustainable
approaches
for energytoefficiency,
waterfacilities
conservation,
Improvements
ramp and dock
at three and
parksrecycled
promise better boating. Sixteen Animals
new courtesy
dock slips and
an accessible
gangway near Lake
hibernate
to save
energy
Nature
& Silver
Arts Amphitheater
allow boaters
to cruise up to this popular venue for community events. At Cleveland Lakefront’s Gordon
materialsMilton’s
that willnew
achieve
the
LEED designation.
The main
Parklodge
area, will
1,700include
feet of seating
new floating
courtesy
docks
have as
replaced
level of the
for 120
guests,
as well
café, the old fixed docks, providing safer and more efficient access for launching and retrieving
watercraft.
Improved
lighting
at the Guilford
Lakefor
launch
gallery space
for local
artisans,
a convenient
camp store
Lakeramp
Hopeon the north side of the lake will make twilight touring easier and safer for boaters.
campers, and office space. The lower level will feature a 120 person
banquet room with stage, catering kitchen and adjacent outdoor patio.